Draco joins
by jharkens
Summary: Drarry Au: In an attempt to escape his evil mission and join the side of good Draco joins "Dumbledor's army." When Harry is the broken student instead of Cho who will stay to comfort him, his old nemesis?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

It seemed this year would consist entirely of reminders that Cedric was dead.

Harry knew it was his fault and there was nothing he could do about it, Cedric was gone.

These were the only thoughts that filled Harry's head anymore.

He kept training himself but Harry didn't understand why anyone would follow him and he could hardly bring himself to care at the moment. Words were leaving the damaged boy's mouth as he, with the help of his best friends, tried to convince and recruit the students who gathered in front of him but he could barely feel himself speaking.

His depression rejuvenated and guilt refueled with every article and accusation involving Voldemort, Cedric, Dumbledor and his own "craziness" he now knew what it meant to "just go through the motions" and it was like nothing he had ever felt before, generally just an empty feeling nothing ever seemed to capture him, or bring him back to reality.

Pale gray eyes glinted in the crowd capturing Harry's heart in a deadly vice. The words stopped and adrenaline threatened to rise.

"Draco." All at once every skeptic or believer of Harry turned venomously on the Death Eater kin, the spy, no doubt, in the ranks.

Malfoy stood tall and arrogant but Harry could see the tremor of fear surge through the pale boy.

"I'm here to join." he said obnoxiously as if he were winning some kind of game of wits with this move. Gray eyes scanned his surroundings waiting for the first challenger that he knew would rise.

Not surprisingly Ron Weasley's voice rang up, "Bollix! You're a little spy for Umbridge and Luscious!" Suddenly Hermione's broke the still air sending Malfoy tumbling to the ground in invisible bonds.

Draco grunted and hit the ground squirming, his eyes looked more deadly than any killing curse when they found Hermione's but he bit his tongue (literally) trying to stay on Potter's good side. And so slowly as he worked himself onto his knees violently he shifted his gaze to Harry's green eyes focussing on finally breaking away from the Dark Lords grip and for once slipping the darkness in his blood.

Harry hadn't noticed all eyes being on him as the air grew thick seeing as he was already pre-occupied with the powerful hold of Draco Malfoy's.

"Why should we trust you, Malfoy?" Harry got out warily. He could hear the scoffs from the crowd and his own friends as well and now began to feel the daggers boring in, but Harry still waited for either an objection or for Malfoy's reason, if he had one.

"I know things, Umbridge and Filch trust me. What do you lot have?" Draco's pompous attitude may have left his eyes but it stained his tone deeply, meriting muttered insults, complaints, and curses.

"Why would we ever believe YOU'd help us?" came Hermione's voice louder than anyone expected and harsher than most had ever heard from her. Malfoy was all too familiar with the wrath of this particular witch and held a deep respect he would never admit to.

This respect allowed Malfoy to look her in the eyes and honestly reply: "I hate my father."

Draco said no more on the matter for fear of revealing any subtle (or not so subtle) emotions that he kept safely repressed inside.

Draco felt that spark of envy and jealousy as he saw his statement send a wave of understanding through the infamous trio as they shared with each other a deciding look.

Everyone in the room could see the look and while even the skeptics hated to argue with it, everyone could still feel the cold shift as the wave hit them. They could all see it in Harry since Cedric died, those who ever mentioned the tragedy always regretted it, and so no one even now spoke against Draco or against Harry or even Draco's family. The many who did disagree shared their own glances and those who believed, or at least wanted to believe, in the bully of bullies let their eyes fall on the still prideful young man collapsed and bound on his knees.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Draco was practically invisible to most of the students, their mistrust lessened but did not disappear yet he was no longer a tyrannical force, nor a classmate, nor a bully. Draco came and trained at every single meeting but he faded like a ghost into the crowd, silent and making no contact with others.

Except, of course, with the teacher, which Draco felt stung like fire every time. Guilt, jealousy, pride, pity, shame, they all burned in him with every touch, look and word Harry gave to him.

What Draco could only assume was jealousy burned hottest, all he could seem to think when Harry was near was that Harry 'precious' Potter, the chosen one, was so inspiring, so loved, so brave, so dutiful, and so forgiving (the list went on forever.) But in second to this obsessive 'jealousy' was the guilt and sympathy, where hate once flamed ferociously, untamed and unmanageable there were more painful things now, caring and sadness.

Likewise where Harry used to see hate and pride in Malfoy's eyes he began to see understanding and humbleness, but also something else gleaming in the deepest undiscovered part of the pale gray orbs. He hadn't ever understood the snobbish Slytherin so didn't expect to know what he felt, all he knew was that it was in everyone else's eyes too, but..

Something about the way the once cold eyes lingered on his own, it wasn't quite the same as the sympathy in everyone else or the jealousy of some others, just maybe similar, but also somehow similar to the warmth of Hermione's and comfort of Ron's.

Clearly, Harry had begun spending more time "helping" Malfoy, his insatiable curiosity got the best of him. Harry wanted to know if this look and this change in behavior was the bend before the snap or the bend before the turn. In fact, the enthralled young Gryffindor became so engulfed in what the mysterious mind of Malfoy was feeling that he hadn't a clue to what he was concocting and developing in his own mind. Harry was beginning to think of nothing but the mysteries of his old adversary and his stormy eyes.

Malfoy saw the looks, the exchange of words, and the sadness creeping back into Harry's green eyes. The new leaf boy hadn't realized how long he had been staring into Harry's eyes when he guided wand or corrected his pronunciation until the emerald eyes began to drop away and not return. The more his teacher turned his gaze away the more Draco realized how much they met eyes to begin with, and the more worried he began to grow.

Hermione and Ron left, the twins left after Cho hesitated but the once obnoxious pureblood softly requested she allow him to talk to Harry. Hesitantly the sweet girl smiled forcefully and agreed nicely to leave.

At first, this simple request seemed very easy and obvious, it felt right, until everyone else was actually gone. As the wooden doors called out in closing and THE Harry Potter stood silently with his back turned, Draco could feel the air thicken. Anxiety rose in his chest as he realized he had no planned words, and there was no running away now, not if he wanted to keep enough pride to come back.

Harry knew someone had stayed but he didn't know who, although from the looks today he assumed it would be Cho. The fondness Harry once held for Cho seemed hollow now, it had since last year after Cedric...

He waited and began to worry in silence, hoping it wasn't Cho lingering behind him, how could he turn her away, what was he supposed to say? Please don't be Cho, Harry thought anxiously but realistically he couldn't think of anyone else it could be, Ron and Hermione had gone and even with these classes, he felt like he had lost his closeness with anyone else. Maybe Draco still had a closeness in Harry's.. mind but "Malfoy" would never speak to Harry in private, willingly. Although, Harry had to admit, ..it wouldn't be the worst thing.

Whoever was lurking kept shuffling awkwardly before moments of indecisive stillness and Harry's fried nerves were beginning to be frazzled by the thought of an unknown presence slowly getting closer, unseen. Harry found himself turning his head before he could control the rising anxiety only to see someone who probably shouldn't have had such a calming affect on his depressed yet anxious mood.

"Draco," Harry said suddenly unsure of the quiet situation, he tried to hide the tint of sadness that was still looming in every word and thought, but it came out a bit too quiet to be any kind of convincing.

Draco tried to get out some of the many words that he'd been awkwardly rattling around in his suddenly empty head but none came, only an embarrassing: "I-" that was hardly more than a murmur, more embarrassing yet he kept trying to fix it but instead he just mouthed about a hundred random words and didn't say anything.

Harry heard the strained attempt and knew something must be wrong, Draco never used to be unsure or hesitant of anything but now the pale boy was practically giddy with nervousness. The curiosity that attempted to rise was immediately dampened and subdued by the hanging mist of doubt that now shrouded every thought Harry had. His head turned away once again, somehow not being able to will himself, even for Draco's sake, to begin a conversation, hell he could barely will himself to think the word 'conversation'.

The Gryffindor let his body drift away to an old mirror, without thought or feeling. Draco's feet began to shift, convincing themselves to take these step that seemed more than physical. Harry lazily reviewed the at first random pictures that were pinned around the edges of the mirror.

*Step*

Pictures that were sad now but used to be happy.

*Step*

Pictures that were very ordinary but brought a flicker of light to Harry's darkened mind for just a moment.

*Step*

And in the center, a large reflection of Malfoy pushing himself toward a very injured looking Harry, who was letting his heart splinter and crack over pictures on an old mirror.

The pictures began to change, perhaps they had been changing the entire time as there were only a few photographs but he had seen a seemingly endless array already, but the boy couldn't seem to look away as they told so many stories.

Now there were pictures of Harry and his friends, and oddly Draco and his 'friends'.

Potter and Malfoy stood side by side looking not into the mirror but instead into its image's visions of their lives.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

"I've never seen any of these.." Draco said finally speaking, breaking the thick silence.

"Why are you here?" was the only reply that Harry gave.

Malfoy always thought that Harry's voice sounded either arctic cold or meltingly warm and endlessly kind but now it only sounded tired, as if he wanted to sound differently but that in itself just made him more tired.

"These aren't real, are they?" asked Draco, ignoring the question that he wasn't sure if he didn't know the answer to or didn't want to know the answer to. "Maybe they're what we're thinking about?"

Hesitantly Harry decided to share this conversation, as best he could. Although he had felt a bit put off around Draco recently, he was beginning to realize it was quite the opposite, he was putting himself off for being.. drawn, in a way, to Draco. "No, I don't think so," Harry answered although his mind was elsewhere. Perhaps he was only feeling this way because they had been enemies, it could be an urge to find out more about the enemy, yes it must be something like that.

"Oh?" came Draco's voice, forcing conversation out of Harry with an almost teasing tone, "Well go on then if you're so smart." he joked with a scoff.

In a way Harry appreciated the lightheartedness, Draco Malfoy being able to joke with Harry Potter, or anyone for that matter, felt different, it felt surprisingly nice. Being able to joke with Malfoy felt different than with anyone else and for some odd reason that tugged in the smallest corner of the back of Harry's thoughts. A small smile even began to start on his face, not noticeable but Harry could feel it throughout him."Well," started Harry softly, "It is the room of requirement, so it probably shows you what you need to see. Like how it creates things that you need, the training dummies for instance."

Draco seemed to be at an awkward loss of words for a moment before saying curiously, "I think you've stopped paying attention."

Indeed Harry hadn't realized it but his view had shifted from the photos to the reflection of the boy next to him, probably just because he was speaking to him, of course. His attention quickly shifted to what were now pictures Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione altogether. Some laughing, or studying and some just talking, the four looked natural as night and day.

Then Draco saw Harry taking his hand and helping him to his feet, walking with him, waiting just to talk to him, and sitting down next to him.

Harry saw Draco smiling and waving, carrying Hermione's books, tutoring Ron, walking with him, and then he saw one last picture of Cedric with a small smile and a short wave.

Tears stung Harry's eyes as he ripped them away from the forced memory and he began to walk away toward the doors quickly.

"Potter, wait!" called Draco as he ran to catch him. Harry felt Malfoy's hand on his arm and let himself be stopped, in an explosion of the moment.

"I can't do this, Draco! I'm not 'The Chosen One', I'm not THE Harry Potter! I'm just Harry! Just Harry.." Tears were falling before the fractured young man could catch them but he didn't have the strength to care.

For a moment Draco looked scared and helpless in a sudden shock but as his eyes softened like storm clouds about to fall his brow hardened and he pulled Harry into a deep hug. There was a moment of confusion in which Draco could feel Harry stand in surprise but soon their arms were wrapped around one another and as Harry continued to shake in the 'cold' Slytherin's arms the lean boy whispered softly into the weakened Gryffindor's ear: "I am sorry, Harry." which pulled a sob out of the wounded boy and he buried his face in Draco's soft neck.

Draco had never been a sympathetic person but he could feel his eyes start to sting as he clutched the man in his arms. It was difficult not to, knowing even half of what he had been through and what was expected of him. It was even more difficult as Draco knew that he had added to the burden and pain in the past. None the less Draco did not cry, he didn't feel it was his place, instead, he held Harry tightly and protectively for as long as he could.

After Harry had settled he didn't pull away from Draco for two reasons. The first being that, honestly he didn't want to, he couldn't remember the last time he felt like this because he never has, and he couldn't remember the last time he was held like this because he never had been. The second reason Harry didn't pull away was because he couldn't imagine showing his face to Draco after weeping like a child on him. Now that he had stopped said 'weeping' Harry realized he hadn't yet appreciated this moment, he could now feel Draco's jaw resting against his head and his arms wrapped tightly around his back. As if on cue Draco's hands squeezed Harry sweetly and didn't let go. Draco's chest rose and fell against Harry's as he breathed softly through his pounding heartbeat. Harry nervously lifted his head to see the face of his ex-nemesis.

Cloudy eyes met emerald ones deeply. Harry looked at Draco with shame and fear of judgment but Draco just looked. No emotion could be discerned because Draco had no idea what this feeling was, it was white hot but soft and tingly, he was excited and scared and confused. Blankly he simply continued to look into Harry's eyes and refused to look away, until something came over him.

When Draco leaned toward him Harry's breath caught but he didn't move, he didn't run or push Draco away he let his eyes close and felt cold lips on his own, soft lips; and a soft nose brushed his wet cheek.

When their lips broke apart they kept their faces together. Draco could feel the tears that had stained Harry's face and could taste where they had ran to his lips. The anxiety was no longer hovering in in Draco's chest, instead, it was replaced with burning fear of what just happened.

Harry felt much the same, but not so much as Draco who felt he could still be rejected for one, not to mention he had no idea he was going to do that and, it scared the hell out of him how much he liked holding Harry and worse kissing Harry. He could not believe he just kissed Har-

Harry was kissing Draco, firmly, forcing fearful thoughts out of Draco's head, and Draco couldn't help but kiss back.


End file.
